Game 1 Box Score - Game 2 Box Score
By Bryn Swartz, GoMessiah.com reporter
Reading, PA — Messiah did its part Saturday.
Sadly, Arcadia University didn't cooperate.
The Falcons won their final two Commonwealth Conference games of the season, defeating Alvernia University 1-0 and 6-4, to improve to 33-5 overall and 11-3 in the league — potentially good enough for a regular-season crown.
Arcadia couldn't knock off league-leading Lebanon Valley College in either game of a Saturday double-header, however, keeping Messiah as the number two seed and LVC (28-7, 11-3) as the top team heading into next weekend's Commonwealth Conference Tournament.
Junior Jess Rhoads was able to return from a nagging injury to pitch Saturday's first game at Alvernia's Angelica Park, tossing a three-hit shutout — striking out 10 of the 22 hitters she faced.
The Falcons' bats were virtually quiet throughout the opener, scoring just a single run. The run came in the top of the seventh inning when junior Jacki Merkel led off the inning with a double. Freshman Sara Dietrich sacrificed Merkel to third. Sophomore Stephanie Schell struck out looking, but Rhoads reached on an error by the left fielder, scoring Merkel for the game's only run.
In the bottom of the inning, Rhoads (11-1) allowed a one-out single, just the third hit of the game, but a double-play line-out to Rhoads effectively ended the game.
In the nightcap, Messiah pitched sophomore Jocelyn Hickey. Hickey did not have her best stuff, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) in three and one-third innings. She was relieved by freshman Sara Dietrich with one out and a runner on second in the fourth. Dietrich quickly ended the scoring threat and the inning by inducing a groundout and a line out.
With the bats, the Falcons were unable to push across a run until the top of the fifth when Schell led off with a double and scored on freshman Krista Ammon's one-out single.
Dietrich allowed another run to cross the plate in the top of the sixth on a pair of hits but the Falcons scored three runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game, highlighted by Merkel's big three-run homer.
Neither team scored in the seventh and the game headed into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Merkel led off with a triple. Rhoads walked and Schell knocked in a run with a single. Later in the inning, junior Lauren Seneca drove in another run on a single, giving the Falcons a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Dietrich allowed singles to two of the first three hitters she faced, putting runners on first and second with one out. Messiah head coach Amy Weaver quickly inserted Rhoads into the pitching circle. Rhoads rose to the challenge and immediately shut down Alvernia on a groundout and a strikeout, pushing the Falcons to 3-0 in extra inning games on the season.
Offensively, Merkel had the biggest day, hitting for the cycle between the two games — the first time in program history a Messiah player achieved the honor in a conference double-header.
Messiah — ranked 14th in the latest NFCA Top 25 Poll — will have one final tune-up for the upcoming league tournament Monday, when the team travels to York College for a single contest. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
Arcadia couldn't knock off league-leading Lebanon Valley College in either game of a Saturday double-header, however, keeping Messiah as the number two seed and LVC (28-7, 11-3) as the top team heading into next weekend's Commonwealth Conference Tournament.
Junior Jess Rhoads was able to return from a nagging injury to pitch Saturday's first game at Alvernia's Angelica Park, tossing a three-hit shutout — striking out 10 of the 22 hitters she faced.
The Falcons' bats were virtually quiet throughout the opener, scoring just a single run. The run came in the top of the seventh inning when junior Jacki Merkel led off the inning with a double. Freshman Sara Dietrich sacrificed Merkel to third. Sophomore Stephanie Schell struck out looking, but Rhoads reached on an error by the left fielder, scoring Merkel for the game's only run.
In the bottom of the inning, Rhoads (11-1) allowed a one-out single, just the third hit of the game, but a double-play line-out to Rhoads effectively ended the game.
In the nightcap, Messiah pitched sophomore Jocelyn Hickey. Hickey did not have her best stuff, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) in three and one-third innings. She was relieved by freshman Sara Dietrich with one out and a runner on second in the fourth. Dietrich quickly ended the scoring threat and the inning by inducing a groundout and a line out.
With the bats, the Falcons were unable to push across a run until the top of the fifth when Schell led off with a double and scored on freshman Krista Ammon's one-out single.
Dietrich allowed another run to cross the plate in the top of the sixth on a pair of hits but the Falcons scored three runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game, highlighted by Merkel's big three-run homer.
Neither team scored in the seventh and the game headed into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Merkel led off with a triple. Rhoads walked and Schell knocked in a run with a single. Later in the inning, junior Lauren Seneca drove in another run on a single, giving the Falcons a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
Dietrich allowed singles to two of the first three hitters she faced, putting runners on first and second with one out. Messiah head coach Amy Weaver quickly inserted Rhoads into the pitching circle. Rhoads rose to the challenge and immediately shut down Alvernia on a groundout and a strikeout, pushing the Falcons to 3-0 in extra inning games on the season.
Offensively, Merkel had the biggest day, hitting for the cycle between the two games — the first time in program history a Messiah player achieved the honor in a conference double-header.
Messiah — ranked 14th in the latest NFCA Top 25 Poll — will have one final tune-up for the upcoming league tournament Monday, when the team travels to York College for a single contest. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
